AWAKENING
by ALGrayAuthor
Summary: A tough life of choices begins for Bella, consisting of love and desire and family. And all her choices collide here in AWAKENING


WHERE IS LUCIAN?

_**BELLA**_

**I**t's the middle of the day and I'm still shamefully in bed feeling sorry for myself. I drank far too much wine last night, no thanks to my best friend, Kerry. I seize my temples with both my hands and rub them in a circling motion in hope that I can soothe myself. _Ohhh,_ my head is pounding, it's like there is a pulsating heart beating viciously inside my skull. I really must not drink so damn much.

"Hungover?" Kerry's seductive voice says from a small distance.

I peer over at her and catch her leaning against my white door frame in a hardihood fashion, half grinning with her arms crossed over her busting chest. She is looking fresher than I am, showered already and wearing blue skinny jeans with a tight red V-neck sweater. I shoot her a, 'don't you even bother trying to be loud,' glare.

"Well, Miss Just One More Glass?" she teases. "Are you hungover?"

"Hell yeah I'm hungover." I say groggily while trying to sit up straight in my bed. "And my mouth tastes like a dry desert storm!"

She is trying desperately not to smile mockingly at me, inwardly biting her full lips. I roll my eyes at her as she saunters over to me. She climbs on the foot of my bed and lays on her side while raking her perfectly slender fingers through her golden locks.

"I did tell you to stop after the first bottle of wine. But _nooo,_ Bella knows best."

I playfully toss my pillow at her. "You brought the wine, not me."

She giggles and throws the pillow back at me. "You wanted to get drunk, Miss Pouty."

"Yeah, well, now I wish I knew better." I drop the pillow on the floor and pull back the duvet. "I'm going to get a coffee to try and wake up. Are you coming?"

"Ohhh, Bella Swan." she says fondly to me. "What am I going to do with you?"

I hang my legs over the side of the bed and arch a perfect brow at her. "Maybe next time, hide the rest of the wine."

"Okay, deal." she laughs. "Come on, I'll make the coffee." she hops off my bed and heads out of my room.

I steal my way out of bed, still grasping my poor, poor head. _Take this as a lesson, Bella, and next time, drink with caution! _I admonish myself. I collect my pink robe from the floor beside my bed and head out to Kerry.

As soon as I reach the open planned living area, I stop dead on the threshold and squeeze my eyes closed. Jesus Christ that is bright!

"Kerry, please, close the blinds." I beg. "The sun, it's too bright!"

"Bella, the sun will do you only good."

"Kerry, please?" I whimper.

She pauses for a moment but thankfully takes pity on me. I hear the electric blinds buzz lightly in the background and feel the heat of the sun slowly draining away.

I exhale leisurely. "Thank you." I blink my eyes open to bask in the darkness of my apartment and I sluggishly join Kerry at the breakfast bar just inside the kitchen area.

She has already brewed the coffee.

"You really are the best, Kerry." I say appreciatively while pouring myself out a cup.

She bats her beautiful blue eyes at me. "Well, you know, it comes with the territory."

"You are so full of yourself." I laugh.

"Tell me something I don't know." she teases.

My mobile phone pings from across the apartment and we both narrow our eyes towards it on the coffee table in the seating area.

"Have you heard from Lucian, yet?" her voice is of worry.

Lucian, my brother, has gone off the deep end and is living in an endless slumber of drunkenness while suffering with the loss of our parents. They went missing a little under a year ago, and although I understand his despair, I am growing tired of his reckless behaviour because somehow, I have managed to keep myself together.

"Sort of." I say deadpan. "He won't answer my calls but he has replied to a few e-mails. Let me go grab my phone and I'll show you." I collect my phone from the white coffee table and return to Kerry. "The e-mails are saved in the file named Lucian." I pass her my Blackberry.

She takes the phone from me and steals her way through the e-mails, and while she becomes acquainted with the situation, I think back over the saddest part of my life. Lucian is my sole guardian, but sadly, a guardian he has never been. He took my parents going missing the worst and spiralled out of control which left me constantly cleaning up his messes. And disappearing, heartbreakingly, has been his most memorable trait. Although, this is the longest he has been missing, and I am quite worried about him. Kerry is worried also, but mostly because she has an enormous crush on him. She thinks I don't know, but _ohhh,_ how wrong she is.

"Here."

She passes me back my phone and I cannot help but take a quick glance over Lucian's e-mails.

To: Lucian

Subject: Where the hell are you?

Date: 10/07/2012

Lucian, where are you? I've been ringing you for weeks now and if you don't get back to me, I'm calling the police. I know it will be a year since Mum and Dad went missing soon, and I know you're upset, but I need you. Please let me know you are okay. xxxxxxxxxxxx

From: Lucian

Subject: Where the hell are you?

Date: 11/07/2012

Bella, don't worry about me, I'm okay. I'm not coming back home, so stop looking for me. I did send you a letter a few weeks ago, you must not have got it. I have moved to AmBella where our great grandfather came from. Don't be worried or upset, I know Kerry and her parents' will take care of you. All the paper work to the trust and the apartment will be in your name on your eighteenth birthday. Please don't look for me, you will never understand but I'm doing this for you to keep you safe. You are everything to me, you know that. I love you tons little sister xxxxx

To: Lucian

Subject: Where the hell are you?

Date: 11/07/2012

Lucian, you really are strung out aren't you? Come home now! And stop talking crap. Oh, and I love you too xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To: Lucian

Subject: Where the hell are you?

Date: 12/07/2012

Lucian, please come home. I miss you and I'm lonely. Please, just come home xxxxxxxxxxx

To: Lucian

Subject: Where the hell are you?

Date: 13/07/2012

Why the hell aren't you answering me? If you don't answer me, I'm going to send out a police search party to come and find you Lucian!

To: Lucian

Subject: Where the hell are you?

Date: 14/07/2012

Lucian, I'm sorry about the blunt last message I sent you. Please at least message me back. I can't sleep, I'm sick with worry xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To: Lucian

Subject: Where the hell are you?

Date: 15/07/2012

Lucian please phone me or send me an up to date photo, anything! So I know you are okay. I'm so upset and I really am losing it with worry xxxxxxxxx I love you xxxxxxx

"Bella, do you know what I find strange about his behaviour?"

I cup my chin and set my phone down on the breakfast bar. "What do you find strange?"

"How he won't answer your calls or even call you back. He loves you Bella, more than anyone, everyone can see it." she says sympathetically. "And you know, he's never gone anywhere without calling you every day, even in his darkest periods. And what the hell is AmBella all about? Why would he go there?"

I shrug my shoulders. "God knows. I'm struggling to understand why he left me to go there, too. He replied to my last email with a picture of himself, in what looks like New Orleans." I quickly pull up the photo on my phone and show it to her. "Check out the beads he's wearing of the famous Mardi Gras. And in the background, I think it's the famous French Quarter."

"Oh yeah!" she gasps with wide eyes.

"He's definitely pissing it up." I scoff loudly. "By the time my eighteenth birthday arrives, there won't be any money left if he continues to live so lavishly!"

Kerry laughs loudly. "If he can spend his way through all your inheritance, then he's not only mental, but a genius."

I huff beneath my breath. She might find this funny, but I certainly don't!

"On a serious note, Bella, why do you think he went to New Orleans?"

"I don't know. Maybe because that's where my family originate from? My great grandfather moved here just shy of 100 years ago and set up home, and Lucian knows this."

"Huh." she breathes. "The location makes sense then, I suppose. Maybe you have family there, still?"

I shake my head. "I don't know of any."

"Well, he's in party central, so once he's had enough, maybe he will come home." she smiles tenderly. "Now, let's cheer you up. Are you all ready for your big day?"

I roll my eyes. She is referring to my 18th birthday in two days, which I am not up to celebrating, giving the situation.

"I suppose." I breathe tiredly.

"Suppose?" she gasps. "I've suffered long stressful days with the organizing, you can do better than suppose!"

"I'm joking you silly woman, of course I'm excited." _Not!_

My phone starts to ring, and when I collect it off the counter top I stare in slight horror.

"It's your Mum. Why is she calling me?" I say.

She presses her index fingers against her temples and exudes a humming sound. "Nope, strangely I'm not telepathic." she jokes.

I cannot help but giggle while answering her mum's call. "Hello?"

"Bella, Sweetheart. How are you?" Olivia greets me in her high pitch voice.

"I'm... fine. You?"

"I'm great Sweetheart. I am calling about Lucian. Do you know where he is?"

I frown. Why is she asking after Lucian? She never asks after him.

"Um, I think he's in New Orleans. Why?"

There is a brief pause.

"New Orleans." she breathes down the speaker.

The line is quiet, and although I cannot hear Olivia, I swear I can hear others whispering in the background.

"Okay, okay." she says in a fretting fashion, I think to someone else. "Bella, is he with the Cullen's?"

"The who?" I say senile. I have never heard of the Cullen's.

"The Cullen's."

"I, I don't know. Why?"

"Never mind Sweetheart. Listen, I have to go. I'll see you and Kerry at your party in two days." she says, and without another word, she shuts down the phone.

My eyes are wide with apprehension.

"Bella, what's wrong." Kerry whispers.

"I don't know. Your Mum was asking if Lucian is with the Cullen's. Who are they?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "I have no idea."

"That's weird, don't you think?" I say.

"Maybe. Call her back and ask her who is she talking about."

I don't think twice, I call Olivia straight back.

"Olivia?"

"Yes. Are you okay?" she says worryingly.

"Yeah. I'm just curious as to who the Cullen's are."

"Oh, don't worry, Dear."

"It's a little late, Olivia, I am worrying."

"Bella, this is private business. Please do not poke around asking questions." she unexpectedly shuts down the phone.

My mouth drops open. "She hung up on me."

"She what?" Kerry laughs childishly.

"Yeah, she hung up on me." I stare in a trance and an unfamiliar vibe washes over my skin. "Kerry, I have a weird feeling about this."

"What do you mean?"

"I think your mum knows more than she is letting on."

She blinks impassively at me, but does not speak one word, and without another thought, I jump to my feet.

"I am going to find out who these Cullen's are because I think they will lead me straight to Lucian."

**T**wo days have passed, two long, tiring days, and I'm no closer to finding out who these Cullen's are. I have searched the internet, been to the library, even visited the Police station, and there is nothing on them, absolutely nothing. The Cullen's seem to be nonexistent. The last place to look for some information is Lucian's safe. There shouldn't be anything on the Cullens', but I have hope in finding something on New Orleans and maybe even my brother.

Although Lucian isn't here, I still tippy toe past my bedroom and sneak into his. I close the door behind myself and eye everything with fondness. It's a typical mans room, his bed is unmade with the blue duvet half draping on the wooden floor, his dvd's are scattered everywhere below his wall mounted television, and his walls are completely covered in grotesque posters of naked women. I roll my eyes.

I make my way to his built in wardrobe and cast my stare over his huge black safe. I know exactly what the code is, I have seen him punch it in many times. The code is my birthday, which happens to be today. I type it in, 18071994, and the door willingly pops open. I gasp at the amount of paperwork hidden inside, too much to even fathom, piled three shelves high. And although I cannot be bothered to rake through our family history, I don't really have a choice, I'm all out of options.

**T**he hours fly by and I have to admit, I am kinda glad I'm going through all this. There are things about my family I never knew of, like when my great grandfather moved here to Swanly in England. He brought some land and while building his dream house, he discovered he had unknowingly brought a goldmine. I guess that is where our family wealth came from. How crazy that I never knew this?

I find tons of old black and white photos on the bottom shelve, and one sticks out particularly. The image is ruined with old age, and you cannot make out a single face, but the faces are not of interest to me, the names at the bottom of the photo are. The picture is of my Grandfather. He is standing between two well dressed men, in of all places, the French Quarter in New Orleans. The names are, Archie Swan - my grandfather - Sebastian Cullen, and Jake Stone. I stare at the name Cullen for so long that my eyes water. How in the bloody hell would Olivia know of the Cullen's if they come from New Orleans? We only met Kerry and her family 15 years ago when we moved back to Swanley from London.

I drop all the photos and sit in a daze. What the hell is going on? Why is this name everywhere private? And why is Olivia asking after it?

Something unexpectedly falls out of the safe and the loud thud of it dropping onto the floor makes me tremble in my skin. I swallow hard while staring around Lucian's bedroom because I now feel like I'm intruding. I take a long breath, and on all fours, I shuffle closer to the safe and collect a red, suede necklace box. This must be what fell out of the safe. I open the box and find a god awful brass necklace neatly inside. The element of the necklace is a bright red ruby in the shape of a star. It's an ugly old thing, too ugly to keep looking at. I peer over the box, and to my utter shock, my name is written in gold on the inside of the lid. _What the hell is this?_ I take the necklace out of the box and a strange feeling of curiosity washes over my body, like cold water escalading. I shiver involuntarily, and for some unknown reason, I put on the necklace, but quickly wish I hadn't.

_**THE VISION**_

I'm in an overgrown blooming garden, and I think it's early morning. The sun is shining bright above me and the air tastes fresh like the sea. I'm sat at a white bistro table, and as I draw my eyes up to take in my surroundings, my heart hammers into my chest because I see I am with three strangers, a woman and two men. _Who the hell are they?_ I blink slowly at them to try and focus my vision but I cannot see their faces clearly, it's as though the atmosphere surrounding us is foggy. My phone suddenly rings in my pocket and I feel an overwhelming desperation to answer it.

I hastily snatch the necklace off and toss it far away from me. What the hell was that? What the hell just happened to me? I'm trembling with shock so badly, like a leaf in the autumn being beaten by the wind.

_"Bella."_ Kerry calls from the hallway outside Lucian's bedroom.

I glance back and forth from the bedroom door to the safe in a panicking fashion, and I quickly scramble to grab all the paperwork before I get caught snooping. I shove everything back inside the safe, but not before stealing the photo of my grandfather with Sebastian Cullen. I hide the photo in the back pocket of my jeans and scoop up the necklace. I stare mesmerizingly at it for longer than necessary. _What a strange, hypnotic piece of jewellery._ I put it back in the suede red box and think to keep it. It does have my name inside. Yep, I'm keeping it, I have a strange feeling that this necklace has more to it than meets the eye.

I make my way out to Kerry on speedy legs. I need to tell her what I now know about the Cullen's and then, without time to waste, I'm flying out to New Orleans so I can find my brother.

"Kerry?" I call out.

"I'm in the living area, Bella."

I dash down the white washed hallway and into the vast living area. Kerry is slouching on the sofa, watching daytime television without a worry in the world. I roll my eyes. Who on this planet can stomach daytime television? I sit across from her in one of the white leather chairs.

I click my fingers at her. "Earth to Kerry."

"Sorry, what's up?" her eyes dance between the television and me.

"You will never believe what I have just discovered about my family." I lure her in with my tone.

She immediately switches off the television and turns to face me fully.

"What?" she is too curious, blinking rapidly at me through impossibly long lashes.

I pull the photo out of my back pocket and toss it at her. It falls onto the white fur rug just in front of the sofa. She leans down to collect it.

"Look at the names." I say.

"Cullen." she breathes curiously.

"Yep. That's the name your mum was asking after. And take a closer look at the background in the photo. It's the French Quarter in New Orleans." I pause for a quick second. "I'm flying out there, tonight."

"What?" she gasps. "You cannot just take off to New Orleans! You won't know where to start!"

"No. But I need to be there in order to find Lucian." I gulp loudly. "He's in trouble, Kerry, I can sense it."

"But, your party, your birthday, your... Bella, are you sure you want to do this?" she's babbling, she always babbles when she's nervous.

"I don't want to do this, but I have to."

She takes a moment and thinks hard to herself.

"Okay. Let me cancel the party and tell my parents were we are going, and then." she sighs steely. "I'll join you."

"No, don't cancel, your mum will grow suspicious and I fear she knows exactly what is going on but is choosing to keep it from us. Keep the party in progress, and just act shocked when I don't show up."

She nervously bites her lower lip. "Okay. But I am joining you in New Orleans in a few days, Bella. And I will not take no for an answer."

"I would expect nothing less from you, Kerry."


End file.
